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Country Always

Country Always

Caring for Country

A Corner of the Empire

A Corner of the Empire

The Garden Palace

The Holding Pen

The Holding Pen

The Agricultural Hall

Regional Networks

Regional Networks

Across New South Wales

A Museum of Doing

A Museum of Doing

Technological Museum

Expanding Stories

Expanding Stories

Evolution of the Castle Hill site from botanical research station to Museum Discovery Centre

Transforming the Tramsheds

Transforming the Tramsheds

Powerhouse Stage 1 and the Harwood Building

A Symbol in Time

A Symbol in Time

Sydney Observatory

Ongoing Transformations

Ongoing Transformations

Powerhouse Ultimo

Applied Arts and Sciences

Applied Arts and Sciences

Defining the terms in the 21st century

Powerhouse Renewal

Powerhouse Renewal

A transformative renewal program across four sites

We Rise

We Rise

Blak Powerhouse

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

An initiative of the Powerhouse: Future Space program

2024

2024

Exoskeleton

Exoskeleton

Powerhouse Parramatta

Powerhouse Parramatta Topping Out

Powerhouse Parramatta Topping Out

Major construction milestone achieved for the new museum

Chinese

2026

Black and white photograph, depicting Chinese New Year Procession. A paper dragon puppet lifted by sticks above a crowd of people, with large banners and signs surrounding them.

Program Collection Conversations

Chinese

Talk

Collection Conversations is a free program that brings the Powerhouse Collection to life through storytelling led by Powerhouse Volunteers. Each talk invites audiences to discover objects in new and meaningful ways.

Chinese
From firecrackers to fortune-telling tools, this session explores how Chinese traditions celebrate renewal and strengthen community bonds.

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A part of

Powerhouse Museum - February Collection Conversations | Chinese

Schedule

Thursday 12 February, 11am
Powerhouse Castle Hill
2 Green Rd, Castle Hill NSW 2154
Free event, register here
All Collection Conversations at Castle Hill are followed by a tour of the collections on display.

Thursday 19 February, 1pm
Sydney Observatory
1003 Upper Fort St, Millers Point NSW 2000
Free event, register here

Wednesday 25 February, 11am
Ultimo Library
Level 1, Ultimo Community Centre, 40 William Henry Street corner, Bulwara Rd, Ultimo NSW 2007
Free event, register here

Censer with lid made of amethyst. The censer has a compressed globular shape with short straight tripod legs and two carved animal/lion shaped handles projecting from each side of the body. The flattened circular body has shallow relief carvings of dragon motifs around it. The high domed lid has a small circular upper knop that is shallow relief carved with floral motifs. — 1/3
Chinese miniature amethyst censer with lid, 1644-1911
Object No. A5100

Model of an ancient rocket firework, modeled with a dragon head with rockets poking out its sides and mouth, made of bamboo and metal. — 2/3
'Fire Dragon Out of Water' rocket replica, 1987
Object No. 88/612

Carved wooden figure of Guan Yin, The Goddess of Mercy, seated with a rosary in one hand and text in the other; she is seated on a lotus leaf and has a lotus flower below her foot and one at each side. The lotus is a symbol of purity and is associated with Guan Yin. — 3/3
Carved wooden figure of Kwan Yin (Chinese Goddess of Mercy)
Object No. A3140

12—25 Feb

Times and dates vary across Sydney

3 sessions

12amThu12 February 20262amThu19 February 202612amWed25 February 2026

Free

FreeGeneral Drop-ins welcome

Across Sydney

Also in the Series

Man standing in field surrounded by those in uniforms.

Man standing in field surrounded by those in uniforms.

Remembrance

Ended 24 Apr 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Writing

Ended 28 May 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Textiles

Ended 26 Jun 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Innovation

Ended 24 Jul 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Science

Ended 28 Aug 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Design

Ended 25 Sept 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Space

Ended 23 Oct 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Fashion

Ended 27 Nov 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Community

Ended 18 Dec 2025TalkAcross Sydney

Photograph of a woman sitting at a desk writing, holding a fountain pen, and a Bakelite telephone in front of her.

Photograph of a woman sitting at a desk writing, holding a fountain pen, and a Bakelite telephone in front of her.

Textiles

Textiles

Colour photographic print of a 1914 Daimler and train, cut from calendar or magazine.

Colour photographic print of a 1914 Daimler and train, cut from calendar or magazine.

Collection Conversations

MonthlyAcross Sydney

A sepia-toned photograph of the design awards, in which four figures -- two men, two women -- speak together in a loose huddle, drinks in hand.

A sepia-toned photograph of the design awards, in which four figures -- two men, two women -- speak together in a loose huddle, drinks in hand.

A black and white photographic print mounted on a sheet of linen. Photo of Captain Sharp demonstrating two Magnavox phonographs, white paper label glued to back 'CAPTAIN SHARP DEMONSTRATING WITH MV-1 & SONORA'.

A black and white photographic print mounted on a sheet of linen. Photo of Captain Sharp demonstrating two Magnavox phonographs, white paper label glued to back 'CAPTAIN SHARP DEMONSTRATING WITH MV-1 & SONORA'.

Space

Space

A black and white photograph of designers Jenny Kee wearing a Kee designed knit and Linda Jackson wearing a Linda Jackson designed jacket.

A black and white photograph of designers Jenny Kee wearing a Kee designed knit and Linda Jackson wearing a Linda Jackson designed jacket.

Black and white photograph showing two women, using back strap looms in a hut while two girls sit between them, in the centre of the photograph. The back strap loom used the weaver's body to provide the correct tension to the warps, the other end of which are tied to a rod, which is suspended from the roof timbers.

Black and white photograph showing two women, using back strap looms in a hut while two girls sit between them, in the centre of the photograph. The back strap loom used the weaver's body to provide the correct tension to the warps, the other end of which are tied to a rod, which is suspended from the roof timbers.

A landscape black and white photograph depicting two men and two women browsing in the book room, later known as the Margaret Street Bookshop.